Ultimate ability

An ultimate ability is an ability which is different from a hero's normal set of abilities. While normal abilities are typically available whenever a hero needs them, or are otherwise on a short cooldown, ultimate abilities are powerful capabilities that take a long time to become available after use.

The use of these abilities requires filling an ultimate meter with "charge". This charge builds over time, or if certain actions are performed (hitting enemies with your standard attack or blocking with your shield) this ultimate meter charges faster than normal. Once expended, the ultimate meter requires a long period of time to refill. Each hero's ultimate meter has a different base charge rate.

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Ultimate ability types

There are three types of ultimate abilities: Transformation, Channeled, and Cast-time.

Transformation ultimates give the hero passive upgrades while allowing them to use their regular abilities without restriction, after forcing the hero to go through a brief transformation animation. An exception is Configuration: Tank, which disables Reconfigure; as well as Primal Rage which disables Barrier Projector due to the nature of the ability.

Channeled ultimates force the hero to enter a new state where their ability is channeled for the duration, restricting their other abilities. Channeled ultimates can be interrupted through most forms of crowd control, with the exception of Transcendence due to its invulnerability, and Molten Core.

Cast-time ultimates require a small window of time to pass before their effect is activated. During this window, if the user is interrupted through crowd control or other means, the ultimate will not take effect and is expended.

Winston embraces his animal nature, significantly boosting his health and making him very difficult to kill, strengthening his melee attack, and allowing him to use his Jump Pack ability more frequently. While raging, Winston can only make melee and Jump Pack attacks.

In Tank mode, Bastion extends wheeled treads and a powerful long-range cannon. The cannon’s explosive shells demolish targets in a wide blast radius, but Bastion can only remain in this mode for a limited time.

Junkrat revs up a motorized tire bomb and sends it rolling across the battlefield, climbing over walls and obstacles. He can remotely detonate
the RIP-Tire to deal serious damage to enemies caught within the blast, or just wait for it to explode on its own.

Moira channels a long-range beam that both heals allies and bypasses barriers to damage her enemies. While channeling this ability, Moira's movement speed increases greatly, but she cannot perform any other actions.

Zenyatta enters a state of heightened existence for a short period of time. While transcendent, Zenyatta cannot use abilities or weapons, but is immune to damage, moves twice as fast, and automatically restores his health and that of nearby allies.

Symmetra places a teleporter exit pad at her current location, and connects it to a teleporter entry pad at her team’s starting point. Allies can travel through the entry pad to the exit pad instantly, enabling them to return to the fight swiftly after being defeated.

↑As long as her mech explodes, D.Va will enter Pilot Form with full ultimate.

Patch changes

August 9, 2018Patch:Some ultimate abilities now restore ammunition after completion for some heroes.

October 10, 2017Patch:Ultimate charge is now immediately expended when a hero's ultimate ability is activated, instead of depleting over a short period of time.

June 20, 2017Patch:Fixed a bug that prevented players from hearing the voice line that typically accompanies their ultimate if they executed the ultimate after being stunned.

November 15, 2016Patch:Fixed a bug that allowed healers to gain Ultimate charge more quickly than intended. Dealing damage to things other than players (like Torbjörn's turret or Symmetra's teleporter) no longer charges ultimate abilities. Ultimate costs have been increased by 25% for all heroes.

September 1, 2016Patch:Ultimates that consume the ultimate meter when activated will now drain the meter more quickly. Ultimate abilities will now interrupt quick melee attacks.